Wheel control systems in boats demand that the wheel that controls the rudder differs considerably from one boat to another. This difference depends on variables such as the precision required on turning, the strength necessary to maneuver the wheel or the distance necessary to access the wheel.
In the case of sailing boats, the space in the area where the wheel is positioned is normally reduced, especially in small and medium sized sailing boats. This, along with the considerable size that wheels usually have in this type of boat, makes moving through this area complicated. Other activities are also uncomfortable because of the size of the wheel, especially when it is not being used for the steering of the boat.
The actual state of the art applied to sailing only knows wheels formed of an individual piece that generally includes in one plane a ring with spokes that come together in the center. These types of wheels have no means of folding or disassembling that allow their size to be modified or reduced, although some allow a position on deck so that they will not hinder anyone passing. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,048,444 describes a wheel for boats, assembled on a revolving spindle conveniently located on a handle or footing. The spindle is formed of two parts that are lined up and kept together by means of a revolving connection that has a turn direction perpendicular to the spindle so that the wheel can be turned from an operative position to an angular position of standby which does not hinder the way.
In another sense, JP 58-030867 describes a steering wheel for motorized vehicles in the form of a ring with three spokes and divided in three segments, each one of which is joined to a spoke. Each spoke is connected to a revolving handle by means of a revolving coupling that has a rotation axle perpendicular to the handle. So it is possible to fold the spoke and its corresponding segment to the center of the steering wheel and change its size, for example as to provide easier access to the vehicle, or exit from it. This idea could be applied to sailing, although it would not be of much use as only one segment of the ring could be folded at a time and the size of the steering wheel would only be reduced on one side and the part that had not been folded would still hinder movement on board.
WO 03/024785 describes a wheel that can be assembled on a wheel pedestal and is made up of a mostly circular form with an external rim for the user to hold and a central cube that defines the rotation axle L, said body being made up of a number of circular sections that are movable with respect to each other, so as to pass selectively from an operative open arrangement, where the circular sections are adjoining and together in the main extended position, to a final closed arrangement, where the circular sections are at least partly overlapped so as to reduce the size of the main extended position or vice versa. The adjustment from one arrangement to another requires the division and coaxial rotation of the circular sections and needs a wheel boss of complex format. The wheel eventually produced is expensive.